Flexible supporting structure for electric lamps.



Patented Apr. 9, I901.

' uni-67131 9.

W. F. BREWSTER. FLEXIBLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ELEUTRNLLAHPS.

(Application filed Jan. 22, .1901.)

(No Modal.)

' INVENTOR: ya m WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FARLEY BREWSTER, OF NEWV YORK, Y.

FLEXIBLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,619, dated April 9, 1901.

Original application filed November 30, 1900, Serial No. 38.098. Divided and this application filed January 22, 1901. Serial No. 44,247- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FARLEY BREWSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a Flexible Supporting Structure for Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement upon the flexible supporting structure shown and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 663,532, dated December 11, 1900.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 38,098, filed November 30, 1900.

The object of my invention is to provide a supporting structure for electric lamps which may be altered at will to permit rearrangement of the lamps to indicate or repiesent various forms, as of letters, figures, or designs, and the receptacles or sockets to receive such lamps may be so rearranged and varied.

To avoid the necessity for the use of spe- H cial sockets or receptacles and to enable me to use sockets andreceptacles of common and well-known form, I have devised a link having a ring or clasp to envelop or surround or encircle the socket or receptacle, and I provide set-screws and fastening devices to insure a good mechanical connection between the socket and link and retain the lamps or sockets or receptacles in any desired relative position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 shows a form of link constructed to receive and encircle a socket or receptacle with the sockets locked in position by means of screws and nuts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 shows a link composed of a band or split ring at each end of a mechanical connecting device, as a metal strap, designed to encircle and claspa lamp receptacle or socket at any point on its surface; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

In Fig. 1, s is a lamp socket or receptacle supplied with a special screw 34 and wingnut 33. The part 30 of the link is a fiat strap of metal perforated at one end to receive the screw 34. At its opposite end is the solid rim or band 31, formed integral with the link maintaining a straight and unbroken line composed of a series of links, with the cup or band 31 of one link overlying the perforated end of the adjacent strap or link 30, while the screw 34 adj ustably and separably unites successive links together and holds the socket or receptacle 3 firmly in position.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a special form of link 41, consisting of a thin strip of metal formed integral therewith. At one end of said link is a split exterior ring 42, and at the opposite end of the link 41 is a split interior ring 50that is, the interior ring 50 is intended to be placed upon the interior of the exterior ring 42, and both are located in the described position upon a sockets. A setscrew 43, passing through ears in the exterior split ring 42, clamps both rings upon the socket. The split ring 50 is first placed in position on the socket s. The ring 42 of the adjacent link is then placed over it, and the thumb-screw 43 is then tightened to compress the rings 50 and 42 upon the socket 8. By loosening the screw 43 adjacent lamps-may be changed in position with respect to each other to form various letters, figures, or designs, and the same is true with respect to the screw 34 and nut 33 shown and described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2. The lamps when so flexibly supported are suitably connected to- ,g ether by flexible conductors e, as shown in What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A connecting device for electric-lamp receptacles consisting of astrap or band, an exterior split ring fixed to one end thereof, an interior split ring fixed to the otherend thereof, and means for clamping said rings upon the sockets or receptacles.

2. A series of lamp-receptacles united by adjustable connecting devices consisting of a strap or band with rings at the ends to encircle the sockets or receptacles and means for clamping said rings upon said sockets or receptacles.

3. Aconnecting device for unitingadjacent 2 e'i'Leie lamp-receptacles consisting of astrap or band hold a socket or receptacle and means for adand rings at each end thereof integral therej nstably connecting the opposite vend of said Id with combined with means for clamping said strap to a second connecting device. rings upon said receptacles.

4. A connecting device for electric-lamp M FARLEY BREWSTER sockets or receptacles consisting of a metal Witnesses: strip,'a ring at one terminal integral there- W. W. PRICE,

with, means for causing said ring to grip and ROBT. GALLAHAN, Jr. 

